Entwined by Fate
by Kriyn Dake
Summary: [VH] Chap 7 is up! As memories intrude on their lives, will this begin to tear them apart or bring them together? The true story of Atlantis is more twisted than it appears to be and as the past and the present merge into one, Van and Hitomi will have to
1. Prologue

Entwined by Fate

**Prologue: Catalyst **

[ Disclaimer stuff ] The characters of Vision of Escaflowne DO not belong to me. I wish they did... wow. Then I could have Van to myself. *gets whacked by Hitomi*] 

[Author's note: And important part of the prologue was rewritten and posted on 22/10/02. For all those who've read this before, please reread it again! Thanks! Sorry for the trouble]

_The cavern was a dust museum. Centuries of dust lay on the rocky ground, an icing more jittery than fish fresh out of the water. It was the wallpaper on the surrounding walls, a fine powder interwoven like cloud mist in a pale sky. With every step I took, a cloud rose and spiraled around my foot. I contemplated for a second, and realized..._

"...that I MUST be SICK of this stupid cavern to compose long descriptive passages about dust!" Yukari shouted in frustration and proceeded to kick the wall, a most childish and unseemly act, for a 20 year old. 

She counted silently to herself before spinning round to glare at Hitomi, her dear sweet friend who was still patiently dusting rocks. 

"THIS PLACE SUCKS!!!" She screeched into Hitomi's ear, who barely flinched. "Hitomi... I'm a poet... this place is drying up my inspiration... can _ we _ go _ back _ soon? Like maybe, NOW!" Hitomi sighed, stretched her arms and nodded, which invoked an unladylike 'whoop' from Yukari. 

"Mind if I rest for a bit before we head back to the hotel?" Hitomi asked as she tiredly rubbed her eyes, the usually shimmering emeralds seemed to be covered with a film of sweat. Yukari's face softened into an encouraging smile. Hitomi was so passionate about archaeology that sometimes, she seemed almost consumed by her interest. Yukari could not understand how she could spend an entire day analysing a small piece of stone. It was utter madness to her. She flopped down and leaned against Hitomi. And so, they sat for a while, back to back, humming a comfortable silence that only best friends knew. 

Yukari peeked at Hitomi's listless face and berated herself for behaving like such a brat. She still remembered the childishly excited Hitomi who gripped Yukari by the shoulders as she told her of the great trip the Humanities department was planning, an archaeology cum literature tour of an offshore European Island. Yukari had not been all that keen on visiting some backward island that she had never heard about. Plus, it was going to be held during the summer holidays, a time reserved for friends, family and ... Amano. Yukari was a good friend though and she decided that she'd put Hitomi before herself this time. There was also another reason... 

"Ok, Let's head back. I could use a nice cool shower and a cola," Hitomi announced as she stood up. 

"Me too!" Yukari bounced up and rocked back on her heels as she gave herself a nice long stretch. 

"Hitomi! I'll race you to the entrance!" Yukari shouted before she sped off. 

"Cheat!" Hitomi cursed before running after Yukari. Not that Yukari had much of a head start anyway. She fell down after the first minute and sat on the ground, silently nursing her ankle. Hitomi caught up with her in a jiffy. 

"Did you sprain it?" Hitomi asked worriedly, before moving down to inspect the ankle. 

"Nah, I'm fine really," Yukari slowly got up and tested her weight on the ankle. Hitomi heaved a relieved sigh when Yukari nodded. It would take 30 minutes to walk to the entrance and Hitomi certainly did not relish the idea of carrying Yukari around for that long. Hitomi was no longer that fine young athlete she once was... 

Yukari had been about to ask Hitomi again about that... 

... about what happened... 

... but Hitomi was in a dreamy melancholic haze and the words died on Yukari's lips. She wanted to shake Hitomi out of her depression and her mind quickly fixed on something. 

"Man, this was the stupid piece of stone I must have tripped over," Yukari grumbled aloud. Hitomi's eyes refocused and a mild smile graced her features as she teased Yukari lightly for her carelessness. 

"It's just a stupid piece of stone," Hitomi giggled as she kicked the stone away. "and you got bowled over by it?" Laughing, she almost missed the stone slab her kick had uncovered. Almost.

"What's this?" She knelt down and reached for it. Yukari stood at her side, her small torchlight casting an illuminated cone on Hitomi's hand. The ancient cave was a patchwork of shadows and darkness. It seemed that the world's attention was focused on that petite hand that was now dusting the stone, now bending low and scanning it. It was so quiet. Yukari could hear their breathing – hushing noises in the dark. 

"Hi...tomi?" Yukari croaked. But Hitomi remained silent, absorbed in her newfound treasure. Then Hitomi's body went rigid and Hitomi saw... 

... like she did a long time ago... 

… the destruction of Atlantis? Wait… no, she was looking at it from a different perspective this time… from above. She stood at the dizzy edge of a spiral tower. The orb tower she had seen previously in her visions of Atlantis. She spun round and saw the shattered remnants of the pink orb and the battered dead bodies of two dragons. Black on White. White against Black. The colours shifted and they were now clashed in a sky with two moons. (Gaea… she was still on Gaea). Below, the land was windswept with guymelefs fighting back mythical creatures. Although the ravages of war filled her with terror, she was drawn to the dragons in the sky. Black versus White, the ancient symbolic colours of good and evil. Now though, there was a sceptre in her hand. A youth was flying towards her and she watched in horror as she took the sceptre and struck him down... the vision shattered before her and she fell... this time with no one to catch her. 

"Hitomi!" Yukari screamed as her friend fell back on the ground. 

Then her world went black, but her vision darkened the darkness darker.


	2. Bittersweet Reunion

**Chapter 1: Bittersweet Reunion **

Key:

_Words in Italics_ – thoughts of the characters

{Words in these curvy brackets} - flashbacks

"Uncle Van!" Chid cried as he stepped off the levi ship and leapt onto Van to give him a warm hug. Van laughed and put Chid down on the ground, ruffling his hair as a form of affection. Van was a quiet king, whose emotions were expressed in subtle forms. To Allen, who had come to treat Van like a brother, he knew that Van's gesture hid great love he bore towards the young king of Freid 

"I swear, he likes you better than he likes me," Allen kidded as he stepped off the ship and bowed lightly to the King of Fanelia, who returned the gesture respectfully. The crowd's cheers rose with the appearance of Allen. Who did not love the handsome gentlemanly knight who had become the royal advisor of Freid? Many young maidens found their hearts fluttering as they gazed at Allen's almost femininely graceful features. Still, Allen found that as Van had matured, the limelight was somewhat stolen from him. Van was the night, an enchanting enigma. As a fighter, he was a shadowy panther, silent and deadly, his blade weaving artful silver crescent arcs. As a king, Van was fair, like the moon, who shines her light on all and withholds none. As a person, Van's intellect went as deep as the night and he possessed a passionate spirit that was glimpsed briefly when he went out on the tours of his kingdom and talked with his people with an enthusiasm that was infectious and chattered with the children as if they were his own. 

His people loved him and today was the anniversary of the day when Fanelia had regained her independence and rebuilt herself again. Cloth flags floated across the whole of the city, lighting up the city like aurora fire in the evening sky. Heady scents of fresh jasmine and roses intermingled with the peaceful daisies and forget-me-nots. As Van led his guests up to his castle, his eyes shone visibly with pride. For a city that had been razed to the ground, Allen could tell exactly how resilient Fanelians were, simply by looking at the majestic city that now stood before his eyes. The roads were straight and true. The stonework spoke of toil and sweat, precision and dependability. Fanelia did not become the fugitive hideout that most other countries expected, The 'backwater country' had evolved into a haven for all who seek a good honest life. Chid also gazed at the city in wonderment, knew that his own people had much to learn from the Fanelians. 

Van was met at his palace gates by his chief cook. 

"Everything is going well, my lord!" His chief reported, his apple cheeks a bright red. Preparing the annual feast for the entire Fanelian population was a lot of work. Van had started the tradition of throwing a feast for his subjects in the palace gardens the year after Fanelia declared her independence. It gave him the chance to interact even more with his subjects and to bring down the invisible barrier that always existed between royalty and the common folk. Little did he know, this tradition only made him more benevolent and saintly in the eyes of his adoring citizens. Most of the time, the citizens also brought their own contributions to the feast, they were more than glad to show their appreciation for the king's kindness. 

Van clapped a hand on his cook's back. 

"I knew I could always count on you Jentend!" His comment causing Jentend to beam even more brightly. 

"Allen! Small one!" 

Chid pouted and glared at Van who merely winked at Allen. "Alright, your majesty, this way… " 

... Van paused in mid-sentence. 

"Van-sama?" 

_Van?_

"Van?! Snap out of it, what's wrong?" 

_... I'm frightened._

In a jiffy, Allen had grabbed Van by the shoulders and was shaking him. Van woke. Or did he? Fear was mirrored in his eyes like stark silhouettes of dark oaks. 

"Hitomi..." he murmured her name like a reverent prayer. Van noticed numbly, Allen's eyes widening, Chid's mouth shooting forth questions. His vision was clear but someone had switched off the sound, except for a resounding echo: "I'm frightened." 

The next thing he knew, there was a change in perspective, he seemed to be watching himself rise, far too slowly and clasping Allen's hands. He watched as incoherent words spilled out of his mouth and Allen struggled to comprehend. He watched as he sped off in the direction of the Sanctuary. He was puzzled how his body could move so slowly. He wondered if it understood the significance of what just happened. Hitomi just spoke to him. 

{"Hitomi? I don't understand. What's wrong with continuing to meet like this? I mean…" 

"NO!" She shouted at him, her fists were curled up into tense balls of flesh as they pressed against her side. Van felt totally helpless. 

"Our meetings just serve to add onto the pain. The pain of knowing that all these meetings are mere illusions. We can never be together. The sun and moon were destined to follow their own orbit." She whispered.}

The lithe frame crashed through the woods. 

{"And Van... no more voices too. Bury it."}

A silver crescent hung in the choking inky blackness. Slashes were on the youth's hands and face, itching pinpricks of pain that mattered little in the overflow of emotions. Slim openings that shone with glaring brightness, distracting you, weighing you down with their loudness. Like hope. 

* * * * *

Hitomi awoke to Yukari's concerned face looming over hers. 

"Wow. Pimple show," Hitomi deadpanned and received a whack from her dear friend, followed by a tight hug. 

"You Idiot! I was so worried! You suddenly fainted like that! Thank goodness Mr James came in to check on us and carried you all the way to our hostel. He just went out to get some coffee. You've been out cold for 3 hours. I was panicking! I've never seen a guy panicking but Mr James looked as if he was going to have a nervous breakdown. It was all so horrible and then you go and make some smart aleck remark like 'pimple show'? PIMPLE SHOW? You ungrateful spoilt brat!" Yukari's ranting escalated into shaking sobs. Hitomi's grin dropped and enveloped her friend in a tight hug. 

"I'm sorry," she murmured as she stroked her friend's back. There was a knock on the door, before it was pushed open to reveal a bespectacled young teacher, Mr James. His tense shoulders loosened visibly when he gazed into Hitomi's calm emerald eyes. 

"Thank goodness you're alright," he said as he moved closer. "Here, have a sip." Hitomi gratefully gulped down a little coffee. By this time, Yukari had subsided into gentle sniffles and sobs. She lifted herself off Hitomi's shoulder but remained seated on the bed. 

"You're fine?" Yukari asked finally. Hitomi took her time replying. Her eyes strayed to the misty windows, turned frosty by the air-conditioning. She looked absolutely unperturbed, chest rising and falling in a peaceful relaxed rhythm. Yet, Yukari could not shake off a nagging worry. 

"It's not the first time I've had a vision," she replied at last, eyes still on the windows. 

"Vision?" Mr James asked curiously. Yukari's sniffling stopped abruptly, leaving his question to echo throughout the silent room. 

"I used to be able to see into the future. It was more of a curse actually. Life lost its element of surprise. My power didn't really go away even though I wanted it too. I had to kill it in the end," Hitomi's voice softened. "Only, it came back." 

"What did you see?" 

Rain was falling and it slowly wiped away the mist touching the frosted windows. Hitomi turned to face Yukari. 

"I've always been good at archaeology because I could sort of sense the meaning of the scrawls on the slabs but this time the meaning leapt out at me. It was a jumble of images… of worlds, guided by a kind of epic destiny... I...I... ...couldn't and still can't really understand it," She drew up her knees and buried her head in them. 

"Hitomi..." Yukari whispered and touched her friend's hand. Mr James' eyebrows creased as he pondered his brilliant student's special gift. 

"I'm going off to check that stone. Yukari carried it back to my room. Yukari, you stay with Hitomi..." Mr James ordered before slipping out of the room. 

"... Let me take a look at it again." Hitomi raised her head, her face, resolute. 

"NO! HITOMI!" Yukari grabbed Hitomi by her shoulders and stared into a shifting wilderness, new thoughts springing up like fresh leaves, in time with the pattering raindrops. 

"I need to read it soon. I can't explain why... but there's not much time left. Please Yukari, trust me." 

Yukari nibbled her lip, before nodding. What could she do? Hitomi was unstoppable when she made her mind up on something. She experienced a vague sense of unease as they made their way to their teacher's room at the end of the corridor. The same unsettling feeling that came to her the night Hitomi disappeared for the second time. 

"Did you see him? In this vision?" Yukari blurted out, before she could stop herself. Hitomi halted in her footsteps, her controlled demeanour cracked slightly. They were almost at his door. 

"It looked like him..." she murmured. 

* * * * * 

"Escaflowne! Hear my voice and remember!" Van shouted in between gulps of air. Escaflowne had remained undisturbed for a long time. To seal Escaflowne, Van had purposely called upon the Lady Jashyra, Guardian Fairy of the Forest, to erect a natural barrier of brambles, which would only open to his voice and the agreed password. Now, the barrier creaked and parted to reveal the silver dragon, still kneeling to pay homage to his king. Van bowed in return, wet bangs falling over tired eyes, before he bent low and dug for the precious pendant. 

* * * * * 

"Yukari! Hitomi! You should rest! What are you doing here?" 

"She insisted... I believe we should trust Hitomi." 

"But I don't think it's a good idea." 

Their conversation was a distant murmur in the background as she edged closer and placed her hands on the runes. The stone was quiet this time round, allowing her to examine it, to trace the ancient writing. 

* * * * * 

Lady Jashyra walked out from the dark, her glowing white wings providing the light needed for digging the pendent. She could sense Van's anxiety as he flung out the soil like a wild animal. She liked the king, she genuinely did. They shared a common bond, both beings of magic. It was little wonder then; that she would agree to his requests. He had come to her twice, the first time to seal Escaflowne, the second time, to seal his heart... 

{She heard his call that day and had come immediately, only to find him standing in front of the bramble prison of Escaflowne. As he handed her the pendent with the request to "Bury it. Please protect it with Escaflowne", she had wanted to weep. His face had seemed so cold and detached, like a barren wasteland devoid of dreams. She had the ability to read one's heart to a small degree and she knew what had passed between Hitomi and Van. Still, she cautioned him. 

"If you bury it, you will die. " 

"I'm already dead," His voice cracking as he stroked the pendent one last time before turning away, from his own heart.}

At long last, his tired fingers scrapped against a slim chain. 

* * * * * 

All of a sudden, the slab glowed white, enveloped Hitomi who screamed with chilling fear and left, as quickly as it had come. Yukari and Mr James gazed in shock, at the empty space which Hitomi had occupied seconds before. 

* * * * * 

Before he could pull it out, the pendent flared and pulsed with renewed life. A column of light shimmered in front of him. Van stopped breathing for a second. 

He knew he could be dreaming but right then, he didn't give a damn. He jumped and caught Hitomi in his arms. _Hitomi's in my arms._ The light faded, leaving the two of them hovering in the darkness. Van was only dimly aware that he had unfurled his wings in order to leap up to catch her. 

"She's back," He whispered to Lady Jashyra and to himself. He took in her sleeping form slowly. She had changed slightly, her features more gentle and mature, her eyelashes darker and more lengthened, casting longer shadows on her cream cheeks. Still, she remained who she was. Hitomi. _She's back. _

"She's back! She's BACK!" He cried in jubilation before speeding back to the castle, his wings whistling a happy tune in the warm night sky.


	3. Old Companions

Chapter 2: Old companions 

Key:

_Words in Italics_ – thoughts of the characters

{Words in these curvy brackets} - flashbacks

[Author's note: Sorry for the long delay in writing Chapter 2. I had a serious writers' block for this fic until I changed a major part of the plot ^_^ Er… by the way, could all those who have read my Prologue before reread it again? I changed an important part of it. Thanks! Sorry for the trouble! Hope you all enjoy this chapter and all comments and criticisms would be greatly appreciated]

She was becoming a familiar sight, head buried in a book and strands of golden mist bound by a simple green ribbon as she drifted along the corridors. Celena was no longer under close scrutiny by the servants (and about time too). When she first arrived a year ago, whispers rose like mosquitoes whining every time she appeared on the corridors. For goodness sakes, she had Dilandau quite under control by then. Once you saw through him, there was nothing much to be feared about the psychopathic violent brat. 

Although she had to admit that she had cowered before the height of his insanity when she first awoke; and he had fed on her fear. Her nights had been plagued with bloody dreams of his murderous deeds and aspirations. Still… the nightmares had always been tempered by the warmth of a familiar touch: Allen's hand enfolding hers as she fought her private battle against the demon. During the day, when Dilandau's curse lessened with the warmth of the sun, Allen recounted the innocent tales of their childhood. Slowly, she began to notice that as her memories flooded back in, Dilandau's presence dimmed. 

            When she was out in the garden with Allen one day, the thought dawned on her that perhaps, Dilandau had seemed so domineeringly huge because when she had "awakened", her mind only contained _his_ life, _his_ dreams, _his_ memories but now, her own memories were taking over some space. They were competing for control and Celena was determined to win. She figured that the best way to fill up her brain was to begin her education. Of course, when she first brought up her idea to Allen, her dear overprotective brother nearly had a stroke. He nagged about her she should not over exert herself and should instead rest to recuperate from the traumatic experience of being a dragon slayer. 

            But Celena put her foot down, literally and screamed, "I'm a big girl now!"

            Allen gave up and opened up the dusty library room, its only function before her request was to boost Allen's culture rating in the eyes of his visitors. The truth was, Allen was either busy fighting, flirting or wallowing in angst. He was a very busy man, not much time for reading. The library must have loved Celena because she actually loved it for its original purpose. The two of them were very much in love, well, perhaps she loved her brother a bit more though. Her plan worked. As she read and absorbed more and more, Dilandau grew smaller and smaller in her brain (Author's note: NO! He did not become SD chibi or whatever…) and as she matured in her thinking, she began to see through him. One day, he ceased to become a menace, a threat to just a little small pest. 

            By which time she had fallen in love with reading, especially novels about life. They helped her to feel and experience what she never got to experience, those lost years when she had been sleeping. After she exhausted the contents of the library however, she began hankering for other books and she badgered her brother endlessly about the grand new library that Fanelia had built. Van agreed to let her stay though it took him a long while to get over the fear that she might suddenly jump back into Dilandau's skin. Allen could not stop worrying about her so he came over sometimes for visits and Celena was on her way out now to meet him. He was so naggy sometimes, she half-wondered if he was a woman. (Well… don't we all?)

            She twirled a little in her simple dress of pure white adorned with a spray of bluebells. Allen loved this dress, he said she looked like an angel in it. Now that she thought about it, the compliment was probably used when he was romancing the other court ladies too. Celena pouted for a second before her eyes lighted up as she remembered that she was going to enjoy her second Fanelian independence day. 

            As she neared the front door, the uproar outside snapped Celena out of her thoughts. Ever curious, she picked up her skirts and sped outside in a highly unladylike manner. 

It was a picture out of one of the fantasy novels she had read: An angel was descending. His shimmering nimbus seized your attention from the lesser jewels in the watery darkness of a romantic night. It wasn't holy. It wasn't pure. It was love and joy, and its source lay in his arms. 

She could feel tears coming to her eyes. She never forgot this image in the years to come. The night when an angel, suitably fitted in a robe of passionate mahogany cradled a pale beauty in a simple green shift were framed in the crescent moon. 

            She blinked. 

            "Van?" She whispered in shock. Serious melancholy Van? Van had a romance life? And, Van had wings?! Well, that was certainly something he had never bothered to tell her. 

            She took in the rest of her surroundings, the people in the courtyard were staring up at the king in shock before everyone started clapping and cheering. Van managed a quirk of a smile as if any further leak would cause the whole dam of his happiness to overflow as he floated gently down to the ground. Her beloved brother was running towards the two of them and enveloping them in an unmanly show of affection by hugging and crying. Chid was bouncing around like a mad monkey. 

            She felt a little lost in the midst of this joyful reunion. Still, the lady looked awfully familiar… 

            … _"THE BITCH FROM THE MYSTIC MOON!" _screeched Dilandau in her mind. She winced and shut Dilandau up immediately. 

            "Well, anyone whom Dilandau calls a bitch is definitely someone good!" She ran forward and congratulated Van even though she only vaguely remembered Hitomi and she was definitely not going to tap into Dilandau's memory bank if all he was going to do was give her a headache with his childish temper. 

            "I'm so happy for you!" She squealed.

            Van's dazed eyes floated towards her before he snapped back to Hitomi. He murmured some nonsense then proceeded to smile like a love sick fool. Everyone erupted in laughter at their king.

            "Come, let's bring Hitomi in. She looks like she needs rest and don't panic Van, yes you may accompany her," Allen said as he patted Van on the back.

*****

            { "Quickly Quickly!" A baker shouted as he huffed up the hill to a circle of upright stones, his cry echoed by many others. 

            "A guardian is being born!" A small girl with enormous cornflower blue eyes smiled and clapped her hands in excitement as she rode on her brother's shoulder. 

            "This is the most auspicious year ain't it?" Her brother asked Tim who looked mighty irritated for not being at the top of the hill. 

            "Yeah! This might be the strongest and most pure of heart one of them all!" He shouted back excitedly. 

            "Damn it Tim! Wait for me! I'm carrying Esha on my shoulders!" Edmond cursed as he hurried on till they reached the top and managed to find a decent spot where they could watch, an outcrop of rocks.  

            "I guess this seat will do…" Tim muttered.

            "Quit grumbling! Is he out yet?" Edmond asked excitedly as he squinted at the three wizards who stood over a small pink orb.

            "It could be a girl too!" Esha pouted and giggled immediately at the thought of a cute scaly small female guardian. Tim and Edmond rolled their eyes at each other, how could the strongest be a girl.

            A sparkle rose into the air, flickering like a faint dust mote in the sun. The audience hushed and our small trio drew in their breath. All of a sudden, it erupted and a golden portal swirled in mid-air. A ball of misty white tumbled out into a wizard's arms. He murmured an incantation and it uncurled itself and stared out at the audience with emerald eyes. 

            "I present to you, this year's Guardian, a female cloud dragon!" The wizard proclaimed proudly and a murmur went through the crowd. Cloud dragons were extremely rare because of their unsurpassable level of magic and this was the first time one had actually been born in this city. Truly, this must be the most powerful Guardian. Esha squealed happily and Edmond and Tim were too awed by the presence of a cloud dragon to glower at her for being so happy that it was a girl. 

            The second wizard's attention had been focused on closing the portal when he gave a shout of pure shock. A second ball hovered at the edge of the portal. Frightened and confused whispers rustled in the crowd, everyone knew that only one guardian was born per year. Freezing only for a second, the second wizard accepted the second ball of fur and incanted the same string of words. The silver dragon unfurled and gazed at the audience with eyes the colour of mulled wine. 

            "Everyone! Please listen to me!" The third wizard commanded as he sent a calming spell into the midst of the audience. "This is certainly an unusual event but the second guardian you see before you is a metallic dragon, its kind has a good heart by nature. Fear not my friends! Fate must have placed him in our hands for some purpose, instead I urge you to welcome this little fellow into our midst!"

            "Hear Hear!!" Edmond shouted and people bent their knees to this miracle of two beautiful guardians.} 

            Why am I seeing this? 

            {Silver gazed inquiringly at Cloud, with a slight arrogant air in the tilt of his head. Cloud flapped her baby wings lightly as a sign of friendship which Silver returned a little shly.}  

            Someone's holding my hand. Familiar. There are people whispering by my bed. Where am I? 

            {The crowd cheered at their friendship and the sun shone brightly on this blessed day…}

* * * * *

            "Hitomi?" 

            She knew. Without even opening her eyes, she knew who he was. The petals of flesh were allowed to unfold and she stared up into a fire that was different and yet familiar. 

            The room was quiet now. 

            "Van…" her voice was hoarse and shaky, probably because she was thirsty she thought.  She lay still, not sure what to do and she had not wanted to return in the first place. Her life here was over and she had to explain this whole mess to him. 

            "There's something I have-"

            The remaining words were erased and her sentence choked up as Van, whom she thought as immovable as the stars, embraced her tightly, letting her know that he knew, that he had read it from her eyes, from her inaction. He knew she had not come here on her own accord. He whispered his knowledge into her ear. Yet, he held on, desperately sending the message through his arms that he had wished otherwise, that he loved her still, that he was hurt and finally… , that he understood. 

            When he could finally look into her eyes without showing his hurt, he held her at arms' length, gave a weak smile and let go. Her hands clutched the bed sheets, a lump falling in her throat. It was amazing and heartbreaking to return, and find, that he had matured but had not changed. Her mind groped for a description and called up a song – "You say it best when you say nothing at all". She knew she could replace that sadness… with a leap into his arms. But… her fingers tightening invisibly on the taut sheets, she knew she would not be so selfish. He deserved so much more than her false hope and promises…  

            "It's good to see you again Hitomi. The others missed you too," he told her, jerking her back from her thoughts and provided a temporary respite from them. Hitomi began to notice Allen leaning by the window sill, Merle handing her a glass of water, Chid kneeling by her bedside and someone… not so familiar. Celena.  

            "So, what happened?" Celena asked, unable to hide her curiousity any longer. Allen laughed at her excited tone and Hitomi giggled. 

            "Well. You see, I was on this school trip and…"

*****

            "… that's what happened," Hitomi finished her long narrative and sipped her glass of water. 

            "Hitomi? You probably don't know me. I'm Celena," Celena had inched nearer and nearer to Hitomi during her tale till she was holding Hitomi's hand now, like the normal girl was some kind of movie star. "What you've just been telling us? It's really cool! I'm going to do all I can to help! Don't worry, I think I'll check up on the library's historical records on any kind of Draconian history I can find. You just can't rely on myths and legends and visions, now books, they give much more detail." She was rambling and she knew it, but it was just so exciting to meet Hitomi. Someone who Dilandau could hate that much, she must be really nice! Besides, she was just enthralled with someone who could evoke that much emotion from serious old Van.  

            "Thank you Celena," Hitomi was overcome by a compulsion to hug the girl, she reminded her slightly of Yukari. 

            Allen and Van did not share Celena's childish enthusiasm. Rather, they looked at each other and shared a grimace that indicated a common worry, or fear… 

            "What is it?" Hitomi asked. 

            "Don't worry," Allen replied soothingly. He was still the refined gentleman who was unwilling to burden ladies with worries. "Your vision just touched on an issue that has been disturbing the nations of Gaea for a while now." 

            "The dragon attacks?" Merle asked as she returned to the room with more refreshments for everyone. Hitomi wondered if Merle had taken on the role of the housekeeper of the Fanelian palace after she left. She had always wondered if Van and Merle would develop… after she went back to earth. Apparently not and all of a sudden, she just knew that Van was still single, that he had still been hoping till now. She pushed that train of thought into the recesses of her mind, she realised she couldn't, and didn't want to think about the implications of that right now. 

            "Yes," Van confirmed. Hitomi could tell from his looks that he was thinking now. "The dragons have always caused a little trouble now and then but it's been increasing after Hi-(a pause in his choice of words)since two years ago". 

            "It's not only the dragons that have been causing trouble. Other mythical creatures have become nuisances." Allan skilfully continued.

            "It is no longer safe to travel in the woods near Freid by night, vampire bats and wolves now lurk in them," A young quavering male voice added. Chid had certainly grown and was almost a teenager now. Hitomi half-smiled to herself, how strange to use that Earth noun – teenager, here on Gaea. 

            "There is another thing," Van continued, "Princess Eries has disappeared."

            "Eries?! Millerna's sister? What happened?" Hitomi asked in shock. Eries. Yes, she remembered her. Tall and slim, with an ethereal grace that was more unique than Millerna's, Hitomi could not take her eyes off Eries the first time she saw her. 

            "King Aston died three years ago and told her on his death bed that she was not his child. She had been an orphan which the kind Queen had found on the way home. He told her that he had loved her as one of his own but Eries was very badly affected by this revelation. She spent days… wandering down the hallways." Allen paused here and Hitomi noticed, a wavering in Allen's sky blue eyes. "One day, she went out for a walk and disappeared. It's rumoured that King Aston told her that she had been found near the elf woods." 

            The room was quiet. Van was pained to see Hitomi looking troubled since her return. He knew it simply was not fair to ask her to bear Gaea's troubles too. She was the first to break the silence.

            "I thought that Gaea would be at peace after the Great War," Hitomi said softly. "Did we go through so much pain and trouble for nothing?" Her hands shook slightly but were enveloped by a pale delicate one. Celena. Hitomi clasped the hand gratefully.

            "No Hitomi. Things would be much worse if we were under Dornkirk's mad ideas and control," Chid said firmly. Hitomi realised what the change she had noticed in Chid had been. He was slipping more and more into the skin of a King. He spoke with authority and the air of a noble born. She was proud of him.  

            "Hitomi needs rest. We shouldn't disturb her so much," Allen commanded abruptly from his seat by the window as he rose up and stood at her side. "I'll take my leave Hitomi." With a strained smile and a bow, he left the room. 

            "He's right," Merle agreed quickly, erasing the curt air that Allen had left behind. She handed Hitomi some bed robes and hugged the girl comfortingly. On that cue, everyone began murmuring similar well-meant orders to sleep well, before they trailed out of the room, except a shadow. 

            Van did not say anything, he did not know what to say. He was contented just to be with her a while more, to experience that comforting peace that had been missing in his life for so long. 

            Should she tell him of her strange dream of the two dragons? Did they mean anything? They were so different from her usual disturbing visions. There had been a strange bittersweet taste to that dream. Or should she talk of them… 

            "Van, I-" 

            "It can wait till tomorrow Hitomi," Van cut in, not rudely but he just was too emotionally geared up tonight. Swiftly, merely a shift in the darkness, he kissed her lightly on her forehead. Innocent and pure, not wanting to alarm her, showing her that he would accept that she wanted them just to be friends. Then he was moving out of the door. 

            "Van!"

            He halted.

            "Good night," She called and before she could stop herself, she added, "Coming back hurts… but I missed all of you…" She looked directly at him as she uttered the last word. He smiled gratefully and then, she was alone. 

* * * * *

            "Our kindred is growing restless," a raspy voice grated on Keeper's ears. 

            "I know, but it is not yet time," she replied calmly. Why they had given her such a sly and power-hungry advisor was beyond her. Or was it? The narrow green slits of eyes flashed briefly in anger. Were they really starting to doubt the legends and prophecies that they had followed for so long? Is that why they were making things so difficult? Could she blame them? She was already the 30th Keeper.

            "The Watchers are no longer confident that they can control them. They-"

            "-then increase the punishment!"

            "Your popularity is rapidly declining, what can possibly make them shut up their grievances?" 

            The Keeper allowed Whisperer his brief moment of gloating and elation after his last threat was uttered. She could almost see his scales glimmer in excitement as he thought that he had at last frightened her. Frighten her? A Keeper. He had much to learn. 

            "Well, so what do you propose to do? Do you think-" Whisperer continued smugly but paused abruptly as the surrounding icicles started growing. The Keeper did not turn around, she did not need to, her show of power was enough. An icicle was allowed to drop – a reminder to Whisperer that he was at a disadvantage here, in this cavern of ice. Finally, she began to speak, her voice a reflection of the dropping temperature.

            "The next dragon rebel will be punished into the cavern of mirrors," she stated simply. There was a moment of shocked silence before she added, "you are dismissed." She continued to stare straight at the orb lying on its pedestal of ice for a while. 

            "I was in no grave danger Kalmwaiter," she called out and he was instantly by her side.

            "It never pays to be careful around that one," was his predictable response. 

            "Why are the rest of our fellow dragons so doubtful? We already know that the leader has been born, the signs prove it true," she said tiredly. 

            "The leader does not remember the past," he reminded gently, "they are restless because they want him so desperately to be amongst us once again, to recall the old beliefs and ways." 

            "All we need is one sign and we can start moving and cease this mind-breaking waiting," she snorted in frustration. The orb pulsated abruptly and the Keeper whispered the following words as if in prayer, "At last, after two whole years." She nuzzled the orb and allowed the images to flow over her. 

            When she finally opened her eyes, Kalmwaiter was at attention. "When do we move?" he asked. 

            "Tomorrow, at sunrise."

[Author's note: Ah…. Exciting? I hope so. Otherwise I would have failed miserably ^_-;;; Chapter 3 is coming soon. Promise!!!]


	4. Awakenings

Chapter 3: Awakenings 

Key: 

_Words in italics _– thoughts of the characters

  
----------------------- 

There was a fog. Two dragons were running past her, Silver and Cloud. She wanted to follow them and they beckoned her with their flapping wings and sunlit eyes in the lush meadow. Then, the wind pulled her back, she spun round for a second and they were gone. There was only the fog. And a voice. 

_Hitomi? _

_Wake up… _

… it called her back and she shot up straight and alert. 

Or was she still dreaming? 

There, in the dim blue light of a cold morning, stood…

"Varie?" Hitomi called, but after she blinked, Van's mother was gone. In her state of confusion, she was only remotely aware of the panicked footsteps starting outside her bedroom before Merle crashed into her room. 

"What-"

"Attack! Get changed!" 

Hitomi caught the white shirt and brown pants thrown at her before she sank down in a wave of nausea. 

"Hitomi? Sorry Hitomi, I shouldn't have thrown it-"

"No…" she shook her head strongly. The dizzy spell had not been due to the overwhelming turn of events that she had been flung into the last two days, she knew this feeling only too well. She grabbed Merle's arm tightly.

"Where's Van?" she asked hoarsely. A chill went down Merle's spine. _Not again. Please, not again. _

  
---------------------- 

"Send another volley of fire balls!" Van ordered before he surveyed the damage angrily. 3 minutes. In 3 minutes, an eighth of his city had been burnt, twenty people had died and fifty lay injured. 3 minutes. The number of dragons attacking the city this time round was double the usual count and the nearest country to his, Asturia, was not answering his call for help. The "speed eagles" he had trained should have been back with an answer by now. What on earth was Asturia doing!

"How many of those bastards are down?" He asked General Keyes.

"Two! Two out of twenty!" 

Van cursed in a very unpretty fashion. 

"And my Lord! Attacking us does not seem to be their main motive, they keep veering off towards the east!" 

The east? Van's eyes narrowed. What could they possibly want in the east? The only thing that lay in the east was the Fairy Forest… 

"Van!" Hitomi stood, framed in the doorway of the landing, still clothed in her nightshift. "Escaflowne, Van! It's Escaflowne!"

In a flurry of white feathers, the young king leapt from the castle and sped off in the direction of Escaflowne. 

But he was not going to make it. It was all so clear now, the actual motive of the sky dragons. Some of them had already broken through and three of them were on their way to the East. They could cover twice the amount of distance he could. Panic gripped Van in its merciless poison and he slipped momentarily into that irrational Van of five years ago, who believed in miracles and things impossible. 

He called Escaflowne to wake up and fly away. On its own. 

  
----------------------- 

Allen saw it clearly from where he was fighting. As his guymelef cut cleanly through another land dragon, there was a luminous green column that broke through the forest foliage in the east. Escaflowne hung suspended in mid-air in its dragon form while Van was at least 1 mile away from it. For one moment, Allen was sure he had gone mad. Only for a while, his ego and confidence did not allow for more than a second of self-doubt.

"What on earth?" He asked in awe. Escaflowne could not possibly do that. It did not even have an energist in it, what he was seeing was simply impossible.  

He snapped back into reality as a land dragon's pungent breath came from behind and he did not even have the luxury to look up again. 

  
-------------------- 

"So, it awakens," the Keeper breathed in relief. 

"And he is the one," Kalmwaiter continued. 

"Yes, truly. Only his reincarnation could possibly have such a strong psychological link with Escaflowne," Moonage, the wisest of the Elders confirmed. 

"Come, it is time to push on to the next stage," she commanded softly, her scales tingling in anticipation. She stretched her graceful gold neck straight up and sang. Hitomi closed her ears, she had no idea that a dragon's singing was so frightening to hear. The sound, a disconcerting hypnotic cross between a horn and crashing waves, resounded throughout the entire mountain's cradle. As the sound faded, she forcibly pushed herself up and saw that a circle of dragons had surrounded the singing dragon, who was covered in a green nimbus similar to Escaflowne's. 

"Van-sama…" she heard the half-conscious Merle murmur. As Hitomi swept her gaze across the landing, she saw that most people had collapsed at the sound of the dragon singing. She giggled nervously and rather hysterically then, not liking the idea that she had some kind of strange resilience against the dragon's singing. Van was almost onto Escaflowne now. 

The singing sure had freaked him out but it was going to take more than a dragon's wailing to shake him off his course. With a fierce flap of his white wings, he leapt onto Escaflowne's back and stirred it in the direction of the circle of dragons. 

A burning sensation pulsed against Hitomi's chest and she looked down in shock. Her pendant was glowing a dark green.

_Van, run away with Escaflowne! VAN!!! _Hitomi's voice cut through his focused thoughts and confused him. He halted Escaflowne just inches away from the dragons. There was no turning back now, he was sure of it. With a swipe, he hacked off the nearest dragons' head. And another. And another. It was surprisingly easy to accomplish the killing of dragons right now. It was almost as if, he subconsciously knew where their weakest spots were. 

His massacre did not last for long. All of a sudden, the dragons became deathly quiet. The gold dragon had stopped her singing totally and she arrested him with her unblinking ruby eyes. Van swung his sword from side to side uneasily before he suddenly felt the solid metal beneath his feet parting. 

Hitomi gripped the railings in fear, Van was being sucked into Escaflowne. "VAN!" Gasps and screams could be heard from the Fanelians. The golden dragon had begun her chanting again and the other dragons had ceased their fighting to join in. As they began their chanting, Van began to sink faster, quicker. 

Their language was foreign. 

Or was it?

Strange images she could not recognize flashed past her at the speed of light. The misty dragon from her dream was in each and everyone of them. Staring at her with green eyes. Cool forest eyes, a shade like her own. 

She shook her head free of this distraction. Van was disappearing fast, only his shoulders were still above the metal. She could feel him panicking. Van needed her.

  
-------------------- 

Merle's vision swam as she finally came to. Hitomi stood in front of her, rockstill. 

"Hitomi?" She called weakly. She was totally disorientated. "Hitomi? What are you chanting?" 

She watched, confused as Hitomi ripped off her necklace and held it high above before she disappeared. Merle blinked. 

  
--------------------- 

Van struggled against the metallic mire futilely, concentrating mainly on keeping his head above it. 

"La'liet, do not move so much," a quiet familiar voice commanded. Van looked up and saw Hitomi standing over him. He followed her orders, not so much out of blind obedience but because he saw newfound age and wisdom in her eyes that he simply could not ignore. She looked away and cocked her head slightly to one side, as if she was remembering something or listening out for an invisible voice. Her posture was regal and confident in a way that was not her own. With a few incantations by her, he found himself once again lying on the firm metallic back of Escaflowne. 

"Who are you?" Keeper hissed at Hitomi.

"It is not important. We will meet again, I think, but I will not let you take him now," the threat Hitomi's words implied was obvious and the Keeper nearly bit off the young lady's neck in pure frustration and anger. Something warned her though, that there was a power here that could not be messed with.

"Very well," the Keeper agreed and with an elegant swoop, she left and her entourage of dragons followed soon after. She only turned back once and allowed herself a bitter smile. This delay was non consequential. They had accomplished their main goal of today, as the young lady magician would see.

Van scrambled up right shakily, the feel of the liquid metal swallowing his entire being into the robot still fresh in his mind. 

"Hitomi?" He called and his mouth was set firm in worry. She was just standing there. 

"Hitomi!" He shouted now and was moving forward and reaching out to make sure she was all right. 

"Hitomi! Are you all right?" Merle and Allen shouted as they ran over. Hitomi looked frighteningly pale in the glaring hot sunlight of mid-morning. Something about the scene unnerved Allen to the bone, she was too still, like an ice statue that might melt in the blinding heat. Then she moved with jerky movements, as if she had just woken up and she had no idea what she was doing on top of a floating escaflowne. In actual fact, she was really clueless as to what had happened and she reacted in a way anyone would if they found themselves standing precariously on the arm of a floating robot 4 floors above ground, she panicked. 

And slipped and fell. 

"Shit!" Van spat out and a carpet of white covered the sun for the second time that morning as he plunged after her, the wind speeding past his ears and deafening him in his roar. It was so loud that the wild fearful heartbeat resounding of his was almost silenced. His mind knew that he would definitely reach her in time but the knowledge did little to erase the danger that she was in _now. _When he had not reached her _yet. _Nor did it block out that nauseating cynical voice that told him he might _fail. _

That was why he held her so possessively, almost crushing her fragile frame into his when he finally caught her.

"Van, I'm fine Van. You caught me," she smiled and laughed in embarrassment at his gestures. But secretly, she was touched. 

They floated gently to the floor and an uproarious cheer started from the civilians who witnessed the heroic rescue and the cheer spread like a contagious windsong as they celebrated the victory of Fanelia over the dragons. Merle and Allen enveloped the two of them in a hug before Merle helped Hitomi away with the intent of helping her to rest. Celena kissed the two of them soundly on the cheek as she ran from where she had been helping to treat the fallen soldiers. 

"Get some rest your majesty, this battle was hard fought and won-"

"We didn't win," Van cut in harshly, making Hitomi and Merle whip their heads back and Allen back away. 

"Van-sama…" Merle whispered. 

"We didn't win. They _pitied _us. And they'll come again," 

Allen turned his head away, he knew what Van said was true but he wished the young king would not be so realistic and cruelly unforgiving to himself.

"Van, you did your best-" Hitomi comforted, her voice still a little weak and she flinched when Van's head snapped up in anger. 

"NO! I didn't!" His fists were locked in balls of self-contained anger and blood trickled from his left. "The defenses should have been stronger than not so many people would have died and… and… you were in danger again."

"Van?" Hitomi's heart palpated wildly in fear, he didn't look right. 

"If something had … happened to you, I would have killed them. I would have made them pay…" he threatened, coldly, darkly and with pure hatred. Hitomi's breath caught in her throat, this was what the premonition this morning had been warning about, she just knew it. 

Celena was the first to see it. 

"Look up!" She pointed at Escaflowne, still suspended in mid-air. Hitomi's hands flew up to her mouth while Merle's eyes widened and Allen simply gaped. Blackness, like spilled ink from an unknown source was spreading from the green energist chamber of Escaflowne. Why? Why was this happening?

"Van?" Hitomi shrug herself free from Merle's supporting arm and ran to him but stopped a few inches from his face. "Van." 

Dark dark eyes, cold whispery ashes of brown oaks, charred abandoned and dead. Cold cold eyes, that looked as if he didn't know her. 

  
------------------- 

[ Author's note: Yes, cliffhanger, I know. I couldn't resist it! I picked up the pace a little in this chapter because I thought that chapter 2 was perhaps a little too draggy and slow. Let me know what you all think! This is my first fanfiction which I intend to go beyond 2 chapters ^_^ So I'd really appreciate reviews and advice on doing this kind of long fanfiction. Arigato! Btw, I hope I got this 3rd chapter up fast enough, will be working on 4th chapter soon. ]


	5. Different Lives

**Chapter 4**

A knight, a cat girl, a lady, soldiers and servants, where on earth was he? 

And the girl with the green eyes, looking at him as if he was supposed to know her. The nagging sensation at the back of his head told him she was right. He hated being disorientated. That was a mild way of putting it, he was known for his extreme moods. 

Which explained the irritation in his tone as he demanded, "Who are you?" He found his hand going to his sword. He paused. 

Hand. Sword. 

Trembling, he brought his hands in front of him and turned them over, inspecting them. Flesh, traced with the scars of war, pulsing with human blood. He glanced over his body, ignoring the insistent questions of these annoying people surrounding him. 

This was some kind of a sick joke. 

It almost made him doubt who he was. 

Eyes flashing, lips thinning into a visible threat, he drew the sword, an unfamiliar weapon but a weapon nonetheless. "Which of you did this?" He shouted angrily, causing them to shrink back. Cowards. Humans, you left them for a few centuries and they still stayed the same. 

He heard the knight whisper to the lady, "What's he saying?" but she was too frightened to speak and merely shook her head in ignorance. Amazing, they no longer understood the language of his race. 

That would be convenient. 

"Van?" 

Was that his name? He turned his attention back to the speaker. Her voice had that effect. It called you, spoke to your heart, made you feel … at home. 

"Van? What's… What's happened to you? You don't recognise us?" She was coming closer and he was drawn to those eyes… familiar yet different. He gasped. It couldn't be. 

_No. Whoever you think she is. That's not her. _The nagging sensation that he had experienced earlier materialised into a voice. It sounded like a human, perhaps he was the owner for this body. 

_Yes. I am Van. Who are you? _

He broke off communicating with this Van person as he suddenly realised that the girl had come too close for comfort. 

"Stay back!" the sword edge easily poised near her throat. He smiled as he tasted her fear in the air but she remained where she was. Interesting, whoever she was, she certainly reminded him of someone in terms of her bravery. 

His smile froze as he sensed himself being forced into the back of his mind. 

_Don't hurt Hitomi! _

There was determination and authority in the voice. Impressive. As he rewarded him by giving way and receding back into the mind, he reflected on her name. Hitomi. He let out a low laugh. It had a pleasant ring to it. 

Hitomi sank to her knees in relief as she saw the familiar light flicker back in Van's eyes. He ran forward and hugged her fiercely in his arms, whispering apologies for not getting back into control earlier. An unconscious smile tugged at her lips, this was definitely her Van, taking too much upon himself as usual. Yes, _her _Van. She wrapped her arms tightly around him in return. 

"… So, to sum up. It seems that two spirits or souls, that might not necessarily be human, have entered the bodies of the two of you. So far, we only know that one is called La'liet and that they have some kind of connection with the dragons and are from an ancient time, most probably… dating all the way back to Atlantis again!" Allen finished by burying his head in his arms. "I thought we no longer had to bother with that ancient crap when the war ended," came his muffled complaint. 

"Yes, judging from Hitomi's vision before she returned to Gaea, it seems that Atlantis might have some connection with all of this," Celena assessed as she patted her brother on the back.  

            "We should contact Dryden and ask for his opinion," suggested Merle. Celena nodded. 

"Also…" Van spoke softly, pausing in mid-sentence, he drew himself up from his hunched form to his characteristically ramrod straight posture. It was high time he started playing King again. His personal insecurities and fears could wait. He brought forth another important issue professionally, "…we need to find out what they want with Escaflowne and what are we going to do, now that it has …disappeared." 

There was a mirror at the end of the room but it ill served its original purpose at the moment. Moonlight captured the surface. The glow was enough to make Van blink as he spoke. He was the only one facing it, the rest looking intently at him for kingly guidance but all he could do was stare. He thought Hitomi had… 

"I'm sorry to intrude like this."

In a moment, attention was drawn to Hitomi_. Hitomi?_ Van immediately recognised who it was. 

"When I was sinking into Escalfowne! _You_ came and used your powers to save me but…" his eyebrows creased and it was only the maturing effect of the years that arrested his instinctive response to draw out his sword, "… who are you? And where is she?" 

She looked quizzically at him. "I am her. She was me." Before he could draw his next breath, she was directly in front of him, staring straight into his soul and beyond. "Oh La'liet, you recognized me today didn't you?" She asked with a wistful note of melancholy. Van pushed La'liet back into the recesses of his mind with considerable mental strength and leaped back from the girl. 

"Please, who are you?" asked Celena, being one of the early few to recover from the fact that Hitomi's body was once again being controlled by someone or _something _else. 

"I am afraid I cannot answer that," she replied apologetically, "It is forbidden." She turned round to face them fully. "My purpose in coming here is to warn all of you that the only way you can win this war is by preventing them from getting what they want." 

"Why should we trust you?" Allen asked carefully from his corner of the room. 

"The sad truth is, you'll don't really have a choice, do you?" She replied, matching his question with her own. The accurate observation of their current state of affairs added to the grim atmosphere. Van looked out of his window. Even in the wan light of the pale crescent, he could make out his city… or what remained of it. A quarter of it had been reduced to rubble and ashes and many had lost their lives today. Many had lost their lives since the attacks began. It was painfully ironic that his attempts to lighten up the spirits of the civilians by that celebration yesterday night had been nullified so easily by another attack today. Physically, they could not keep up the war as it was. Emotionally, they were beginning to despair. 

"What do they want?" he asked her, sadly. 

She remained quiet for a few moments, the unspoken words frozen as she stared at him, Van – his tone, his defeated posture, his love for mankind. He reminded her of La'liet_, _well at least before everything changed. Maybe, maybe in this life, he would have a chance to remain this way forever. She had to warn him to prevent history from repeating itself. "They want…"

"-me," Van cut in, visibly exercising control over his voice. "It's me." 

"Van…" Merle started but remained silent when he held out his hand. 

"Yes," he continued. "It's clear to me now. That's why the dragons left so easily today. They said something about accomplishing what they came for and afterwards I lost control of my body." He paused and smiled grimly," I guess I can't blame all that on coincidence." 

"You can't blame all that on yourself either," Allen reminded but Celena felt that was a bit too harsh. 

"Can't I?" Van asked raising his head to look straight across the room at Allen and Allen saw that he did. "During the Zaibach war, they burned Fanelia and hurt Asturia because of Escaflowne. Now, it's even more personal. It's me." There was a brief silence that was left unfilled because no one knew what to say. "It's always me." 

A hand touched his. 

It was small and white. As he looked up towards the owner's eyes, he saw it belonged to Hitomi, not that spirit that took over her body. It was Hitomi.  

"No Van," she said firmly and gently at the same time, it was incredible how good she was always able to balance the two, most people got it all wrong. "The painful truth is, it's always me and you but… that's" her voice broke, "that's better than going it alone right?" 

He hugged her in response. 

Until she stepped away and he saw that she was not Hitomi anymore. "No, it's always been because of the connection that you shared with me and La'liet. I can't tell you all much more without breaking the rules but when both of you start to remember, many mysteries will be solved such as Hitomi's ability to see into the future and Escaflowne's almost demonic powers." She paused and spoke more slowly to everyone now. "Do you'll want to stop the dragons and save Gaea from turning into another Atlantis?" 

"Of course," the people in the room chorused. 

"They are searching for you Van, so you must leave with Hitomi and a chosen few. You must go to Freid."

"Freid?" asked Chid, "How does Fried have the power to stop dragons?"  

"No…" She said slowly, "that power… that demon cannot be used by anyone. It is evil and it is manipulating the dragons to resurrect it again." She sighed before whispering, "It is amazing how the dragons cling on to that twisted prophecy … even though so many eons have passed…" 

Celena's eyebrows creased in confusion. "Erm, excuse me, but I thought the Power Spot in Freid was the 'Hidden Power of Atlantis'?"

The one controlling Hitomi's body smiled wryly. "The power of Atlantis is the power of wishes. Such energy cannot be preserved, the power you witnessed five years ago during the Zaibach war was a mere glimpse of the power of that demon that sleeps in the bowels of Freid. It must be destroyed." 

Allen spoke up first, "and this is supposed to be easier than storming into the stronghold of the Dragon army and fighting them one on one?" 

"To put it more accurately," she said wryly, "it's the only course of action that could guarantee that you'll have any chance of winning at all." 

Author's Note: I really really really sincerely apologise for the long delay in writing Chapter 4. It has been a really busy and important year for me, having to juggle both my A level exams and Choir stuff. But I'm now completely free for the next 7 months! And you can bet that I'll be working on my darling ficcie! I hope that there are still a few out there who are still taking interest in this fic. I promise that I'll complete this but I really get a lot of motivation from reviews. So if you have the time, please leave a review!!!!!!!!! 

So, how's the story so far? Is it too confusing? It is remotely exciting? Tell me! Tell me what you guys think! 


	6. Shades from the Past

**Chapter 5**

_Italics_ - Thoughts/flashbacks 

Author's Thank You Notes: 

**The Lady Winged Knight** - Thanks so much for your compliments on my writing ^________^ I apologise for how confusing the plot still is, but don't worry it's getting cleared up pretty soon ^^ 

**Dreamingofflyingaway**: Oooooooooooo¡­ your review just made my day! *hugs* I spent a really long time thinking about this plot and I'm so so so glad you like it!!! And I appreciate it so much that you spent time writing a review when you had piles of homework waiting for you to do. 

**To all readers**: I'm really sorry for taking so long in writing chapter 5, sad to say, I'm not as VH crazy as I used to be, coupled with my natural lazy self, I let this chapter rot around for a couple of months. But don't worry, I intend to rewatch Escaflowne AGAIN, haha, that always brings back the fandomness in me, I promised to get chapter 6 up soon!!! So please review my fic, I really love them and appreciate them! Enjoy chapter 5! 

~~~ * ~~~ 

"Do you'll have everything you need?" Millerna asked. 

"Yes," Van replied but he didn't move. 

"Van, we must get going," Allen urged. Van swept his eyes over Fanelia, every tower, every tavern, every hovel, every brick. 

"Van-sama, I promised you that Queen Millerna and I will not allow Fanelia to be razed to the ground a second time," Merle comforted gently. 

He nodded. "Thank you Millerna. Thank you so much. And Merle," he enveloped her in a warm hug, "take care of yourself too." Abruptly, he spun away and motioned his companions to follow him. 

Millerna was surprised when Hitomi suddenly gave her a quick fierce hug. "I don't know if I'll see you again Millerna but I sure missed you!" With that, she ran after Van and the others, leaving Millerna to wave them off with tears in her eyes. 

"Come back. Safe," she whispered after them. Merle reached for her hand and the two women held on tight, watching their friends as they disappeared into the brilliant sunset. 

~~~ * ~~~ 

_"Millerna!" Dryden burst into her bedroom chamber. "Hitomi! I heard her voice in my head! She-" He stopped mid-sentence and stared at his wife who stared back. His eyes looked at the half-opened bag that held a few dresses with incomprehension. _

Millerna unfroze first. She picked up a blanket she had dropped, folded it and placed it inside with the rest, patting it down. She whirled round to face him, her movements determined and defiant. "Dryden, I am going. They need help so I am going." 

He ran his fingers through his messy chocolate hair before flashing her a tired grin. "Somehow, I knew that would be your decision." He moved across the room and stood in front of the shinning visage of beauty. He traced the curve of her cheek gently. "You haven't changed a bit," he whispered. "Still full of surprises. Headstrong¡­ and beautiful." She threw herself into his arms at that. 

"I have changed. I fell in love." Hearing her speak those words still managed to send a thrill up his spine after three years of marriage. 

"You don't have to go you know..." he suggested, "They need someone to help them rule in Van's stead but it doesn't have to be you." She shook her head. 

"Oh Dryden, you know Van. It has to be me. He won't feel safe with Fanelia in some strange person's hand and he knows that Asturian princesses undergo vigorous training." 

Dryden sighed. Yes, he knew the king alright. 

"It hurts for me to go as well... to leave you... and Amelia, if only Eries was still here!" She cried softly, the tears staining his mahogany robe. Dryden's eyes flitted unconsciously to their beautiful daughter of two who lay asleep on her mother's bed as he stroked Millerna¡¯s hair. 

"Yes, you must go. We can't¡­be so selfish. We must help them to put the world back in order. For us and for Emilia, you have to go," he told her. Millerna raised her head and gave him a heartbreaking smile of understanding. 

"I love you Millerna." 

~~~ * ~~~ 

Van grinned maliciously as he poked Hitomi in the side. Hitomi grumbled and rolled over. 

He poked her again. "Wake up sleepy head!" Barely avoiding a kick in the stomach, Van stepped back from the vicious Hitomi as she shrugged off her covers and slouched over in visible grouchiness. 

"Why do you do that to me every morning?" She demanded in irritation, knuckles rubbing the sleepiness away from her eyes. 

Van tried to wipe away the evil grin from his face and failed miserably, earning himself a glare from the grumpy Hitomi and laughters from the Allen and the rest. As Hitomi rolled up her blanklets and helped clear up the campfire, it all seemed so surreal to her: her arriving back in Gaea, the mission she had gotten entangled in and the mystery of it all, being with her dear old friends that had changed during these five years... For many months after arriving back in Earth, she sometimes doubted whether Gaea really existed. Being back in Gaea again made her realise how solid her memories were and how strange life could be. 

"Guys, come on, even I have difficulty waking up in the evening and travelling by night!" Celena suddenly chirped in, breaking into Hitomi's self introspection. 

"See! At least someone understands!" Hitomi linked arms with Celena and they walked out of the cave and Chid ran after them chuckling quietly. 

"Even after 5 years, there's so much of her that remains the same¡­" Van commented quietly. Allen glanced at his best friend. In the past 5 years, he had never seen him so relaxed. The tensions in his shoulder were gone and he looked completely at peace. In a flash, Van had changed into a simple man and not a king with the weight of his country on his shoulders. 

"You really love her don't you?" It was not a question, Van looked back at his friend and smiled. All of a sudden, Allen had difficulty smiling back. _There is a thin line between love and hate._ Allen shuddered and wondered where that ominous thought had suddenly come from. 

~~ * ~~ 

The Keeper paced in front of the two dragons slowly, her claws scrapping the old rocks of the dark cave. 

"I truly wonder if this could be the hour where we dragons shall soon have our revenge if our Watchers cannot even live up to their name," She commented and her scales of pure gold seemed to harden with her obvious displeasure. 

"We deeply regret our failure," began one dragon on the left. 

"Only death can atone for our ineptitude for we have failed our brothers and you," finished the dragon on the right. 

"Do not be so hasty to die Kesh," She admonished ever so gently before she continued sadly, "our numbers have already dwindled considerably over the years, while the humans continue to multiply in disgusting numbers!" Her tail cracked the floor in anger. 

"Do you think these two are to blame, Whisperer?" She threw the question suddenly at her advisor. 

"No, noble Keeper... The magic spell that was cast was too cunning for their detection. After all, she was the most powerful wizard Guardian in all of history. It must have been frighteningly easy for her to cast a protective barrier around the city which at the same time masked their escape. If we hadn't captured that human who had been stupid enough to leave the barrier, we might have discovered this even later," he advised cautiously. 

"For once, I agree with you," the Keeper smiled. "Kesh and Kith, the two of you are pardoned." 

"We are ever thankful for your graciousness," they intoned solemnly. 

"Then go and track them down and report back to me," She commanded sharply. As they turned to leave, she added, "But do not fight them, you are not their match." 

~~ * ~~ 

Hitomi yawned as she carefully turned a page. The book was so old, the library scribes in Fanelia should have copied its contents out ages ago. Blearily she scanned the contents of this page, it was terribly early in the morning, maybe she should have retired to bed like the others. She still was not sure why she had to torment herself by staying up to read about something she did not really understand. All of a sudden, she looked up and blinked. 

"Morning Hitomi," Van greeted amiably before he sat down beside her. She punched him lightly on the shoulder. 

"How long have you been standing there? I was really freaked out to realise that I was being... _watched_," she complained. 

"You must really have been concentrating on what you were reading then," Van commented idly, stretching his arms out before him. "And this must be the reason why you are so hard to wake up." 

"You¡¯re terrible! Stop reminding me about my sleeping habits already," she pouted before a smile betrayed her. Van grinned. He leaned over her shoulder to peer at the book. 

"What are those funny symbols and patterns?" he asked curiously. 

"I found it in YOUR library you dolt. It's a book on Magic," Hitomi passed it over to Van for inspection. 

"You can understand all this?" he asked incredulously as he leafed through the pages. Hitomi shook her head. 

"Nope, but I think the person living in my head knew a great deal about it. I want to understand her more..." Hitomi took back the book and traced the faded engravings on the leather cover. 

"Well, at least yours is more sane than mine," Van put his hand over hers on the grass and they shared a sweet moment of silence. "But you are still Hitomi Kanzaki okay? And I¡¯m still Van Fanel. Okay?" 

Hitomi looked at him, concern written all over her face. Their private moment was broken by the brilliant pulsing of the pendant around Hitomi¡¯s neck and Hitomi grabbed Van and pulled him into the safety of the shadows of the nearby trees. 

"What is it?" he whispered as softly as possible. _Dragons_, Hitomi mouthed silently and Van's entire body stiffened and Hitomi held his hand tighter to restrain him. She pointed above their heads at their left. 

In those tense moments as they tried to pitifully sink into the scratchy tree bark, Hitomi noticed distantly that they were still holding hands and holding onto each other as they always had. It felt good and ... it felt right. 

Closing her eyes, she traced their movements. Her breathing slowed and the pendant pulsed steadily. Her lips pressed themeselves into a dim line. They were searching for something, it did not take a genius to guess who they were looking for. 

Van was looking intently at Hitomi for guidance and saw her eyes snap open in fear. As he stared deep into those green pools, he saw what was happening through her mind's eye: Chid had left the safety of their camp site to relieve himself and the dragons had spotted him as well. With no time left to lose, the king spread open his wings, grabbed a startled Hitomi and sped to Chid. 

Distracted from their sumptious breakfast, they blinked their gigantic eyes in surprise at the presence of the humans they had been commanded to find. Hitomi backed away as Van flashed out his sword. The two dragons were a beautiful sight to behold both were a matching deep blue, the precious colour of the ocean with wings that tapered off into a delicate sky blue. As Hitomi wondered if they were twins, they lifted off into the sky suddenly. 

She heard Van swear and curse. "They are going to report to their leaders!" 

Panic gripped Hitomi's heart and strange runes from the book she had been flipping through flashed before her eyes. Words she did not understand came easily to her mouth and the relatively still air around the dragons whipped into a frenzy and the dragons careened back to the ground. Heart racing, Hitomi backed away from what she had done and what she did not understand. She saw Van throw a confused and slightly frightened glance at her before he leapt forward and slashed at the heart of the nearest dragon. 

Murky green liquid sprang forth. 

Dragon's blood. 

It made her want to puke. From the corner of her eye, she saw Chid staring at her. For the first time, those innocent blue eyes, the colour of the dragon's scales, looked warily at her. This was unlike the time when she had lost control of her mind and body. She knew that as she had incantated the spell, she knew what was going to happen. 

What was she? 

An angry cry from the surviving dragon, focused her attention back on the scene before her. Although badly injured, the dragon was dying to avenge his brother. Van scrambled back from the vicious advances. 

"Let's get inside the caverns!" He commanded. The three fled back into the cool darkness of the cavern, dimly hearing the dragon squeezing his way through the narrow opening. Allen and Celena were already gesturing them to follow deeper into the cavern where the tunnels got smaller and tighter. 

They heard the dragon bellow in anger, "how could you do this to your kin!" 

Van and Hitomi glanced at each other, wondering why they could understand what he was saying. Their mad flight down the caverns were propelled primarily by fear of the persistence of the dragon's pursuit. 

It all ended abruptly as the tunnel opened into a huge room, wide, stretching high up and with no exit. Everyone turned their attention to the tunnel they had emerged from and saw a tattered dragon squeeze itself through, already bloody and half-dead, its golden eyes burned with crazed anger. Celena knew she had seen such an expression before, a long time ago when she had looked into the mirror as Dilandau. She heard her brother suggesting to Van a quick tactic to attack the dragon from both sides before he got through the opening. 

"Van! Did you hear me?!" Allen shouted. Celena turned around and saw Van vacantly staring at the room they were in. 

"I've been here before..." he muttered. A sharp pain sliced through his mind. "I was also chased, driven down here, running for my life..." He remembered the wetness of the soil, the tunnel widths that were barely big enough for him, the pain involved in ignoring his broken claws. _Claws?_ And when he arrived here, there was a dragon that had pursued him as well. A strange white mist began to fill the room. 

The sapphire dragon finally slipped through the opening and bellowed darkly, his call echoing and revebrating against the steep walls of the room, until there was no space left for any other noise. It was a bone-chilling noise and everyone covered their ears. 

"Stop chasing me," someone said calmly. Chid tried to peer through the fog. 

"Who's there!" Chid demanded of the new voice, deep, resonant and in-human. 

"We will finish our fued today," he continued as the fog died down and Celena's heart leaped to her throat, there was another dragon in the room, his shape dimly visible through the fog. Almost instantly, the shape moved and slashed at the sapphire dragon. 

Blood and chaos followed. Allen took on the role of protecting them, leading them closer and closer to the entrance while following the circumference of the wall as the battle continued near the centre. Celena had to forcibly drag Hitomi along, she was shivering and distant. She wondered where Van was and why the stupid fog was taking so long to die down. 

All of a sudden, the battle ended, one dragon lay motionless on the ground and the fog died down almost as quickly. 

A black dragon stood in the middle of the ancient room, ancient stalagites from above reflecting its obsidian scales. It stared at the dead carcass with eyes like sad autumn leaves. It was majestic in its loneliness, a beautiful huge statue in nature's inmost cavern. 

"Escaflowne," Chid breathed. Everyone recognised it at once. A machine come alive like a legend stepping off the pages of story books. 

It was black. 

Hitomi moved quietly towards it, before anyone could stop her and she stood in front of it. Celena watched as the maiden stood in front of the monster, the vicious beast. There was no knight. Her brother knew he could do nothing, the monster was his best friend. 

"Van," Hitomi called quietly, the dragon lifted its round opals from the dead body to the human in front of him but made no other motion. "Van, I remember how I chased you down here." 

All of a sudden, another dragon stood in Hitomi's place, its scales a magnificent wonder to behold, a strange mixture of diamonds and iridescent pearly white, they were all the shades in the world and yet united in their brilliance. 

Celena had never believed in reincarnation but her beliefs were shaken as she looked at the two dragons in front of her, two shades from the past, out of a different era, meeting again in a timeless cavern deep down near the centre of the earth. 

~~~~ * ~~~~ 


	7. Remembering

Chapter 6 

Hello everybody! I'm back! runs away from rotten tomatoes

Heh heh sheepish laughter yeah I know, incredibly lazy and let this fic rot for over a year. … Actually that's not true! I've been writing it on and off but just well, never finished a proper chapter. gets thrown more tomatoes Okok! I'll write faster Oo

It helps that I just re-watched the 1st 2 episodes of Esca again I guess grin

Actually I was really amazed that some of you'll still followed the story so far in my previous chapter. glomps **dreamingofflyingaway**

**Dreamingofflyingaway: **Thanks for thinking so highly of this fic and giving me such unconditional support! Love ya!

**Kya77: **Oooooooooo… so smart! Haha but it should be quite obvious already. Especially in this chapter eyes twinkle

**SabineballZ: **Heh heh sorry, didn't really follow your 'asap' command very well but don't worry it's not such an irritating cliffhanger this time round. Although the fic is still unfinished hears groans from the audience

**Christina: **arigato!

Okok on to proper writing

_Italics: _still equals to thoughts/flashbacks

"_La'liet! Wait!" a pale cloud baby dragon called out pathetically after her friend. _

"_SHhhhhhhhhhh… Myra," the white dragon hissed angrily in reply. "Don't be so loud! The priests of the temple will hear us." Myra giggled helplessly. _

"_This is so exciting!" she whispered back breathlessly as they hurried almost soundlessly along the corridor. They had retracted their claws so they would not be heard. The floor was carpeted in an intricate pattern of the city of Atlantis. Gold threads weaved the outline of the spiralling white towers; the detail of the flowers in the gardens around the city breathtakingly realistic; the clouds in the blue sky seemed to move magically as you moved your eyes across the tapestry. It was as if they were flying across the real city itself. La'liet smiled to himself. They would fly across it someday. Anything was possible in the city of magic. _

_Anything was possible at all…_

"_Idiot! It won't be fun if they catch us, we'll have to practice writing the same rune spell 300 times or something," La'liet warned. Their magic instructor adored Myra and unfortunately, the same cannot be said of La'liet. _

"_I don't mind that," Myra grinned with her two teeth at La'liet. La'liet rolled his eyes in response. _

"_That's cause you're good at magic stuff," he complained. He turned back to running and realized they had reached the sanctuary. "Myra, let's use that disappearing spell you learned last week." Myra nodded and focused her attention on her 'writing claw'. As her claw traced the air, a faint blue glow followed thereafter. A complete rune lay before her as she finished her incantations. La'liet shook his head in amazement. He had no idea how she managed to memorize these funny things. _

"_Gaea…" she whispered almost reverently. That was how their teacher had thought them to end each spell. It meant 'peace'. "So what's the next part of the plan." _

"_I've observed the priests. They come back from their evening meal around now. So all we have to do is wait for the next shift that will open these doors," La'liet whispered his plan proudly to her. Almost instantly, they could sense a human coming. _

"_All right, all right, it's a brilliant plan. Happy now?" Myra asked cheekily. La'liet would have pinched her if they did not need to be quiet. _

_As the ornate tall white doors swung open, they trailed invisibly after the priest and were faced with a brilliant pink pulsating orb. Sweet incense filled the air. Light haze filled the room, creating a dreamy effect. The orb lay on a golden spiral frame that twisted out of the tower through a circular opening in the ceiling so that everyone in the city could see the orb from afar. A shallow layer of water encircled the base of tits golden frame. When Myra padded closer, she saw that it was a window to the world outside. It showed people of the city laying flowers and wreaths of ribbons on the doorsteps of the temple as they made their wishes; little children looking innocently at the orb and making their simple wishes. All this, the orb saw and it became its energy, the energy of wishes. _

_One day we will come before you again." Myra thought quietly to herself. "It will be an official visit that time." _

"_Myra, on that day, it will chose one of us. Or maybe both…" La'liet spoke back to her mind. _

"_It will be you, La'liet… all the priests have hinted so. You are a metallic dragon. A dragon of strength and courage. You are worthy to be the Protector o f Atlantis. Cloud dragons are only good at magic. I just came along to help you, that's all." Myra smiled contently. Yes, that was enough for her. _

_They were quiet for a while. Standing in awe in front of this vessel that held the wishes of so may souls. _

"_I will protect this city." La'liet announced quietly._

"_Yes, of course," Myra nodded. _

" _will protect you," he continued. _

_She turned around, briefly touched by his promise. _

"_I will protect you for ever and ever." La'liet turned to look at her. That was when she knew he wasn't just saying it, but he meant it. _

_Myra smiled. _

"_Thank you." _

_Myra lay curled up in a corner, seemingly asleep and oblivious to the roaring rises and swells of the crowd outside their cavernous waiting room. La'liet clawed at the ground in impatience. When would they be let out? When would it all be settled? And how could Myra bear to sleep so soundly just before the Choosing. _

_He stomped angrily to her side and was wondering whether to breathe fire to scare her or kick her lightly. He thought better of it since she was in such a defenceless position. He craned his neck low and nudged her neck lightly, like a kiss on her gloved hand. _

_Myra fluttered her eyelids coquettishly and rose up just as the heralds sounded the trumpets to signal their entry. _

_A glistening metallic beauty emerged from the cave and a roar went up with the audience. _

"_La'liet! La'liet! Prince of kingdom!" That was what they liked to call him. His wings easily cast a shadow over a third of the stadium, beating steadily to the moment of glory in his life. The clouds seemed to part due to the force of the wind created by his wings before he landed on the raised podium in the middle of the stadium. A white marble statue, he arrested your respect almost immediately. His strength and power was indescribable. He turned his ruby eyes to his love, Myra who swept out of the cave in a blur. _

"_Myra! Myra! Lady of the mist!" _

_Her colours shifted through all the colours of rainbow before she landed lightly next to La'liet. _

_ Show off! He scolded her mentally and her only response was a light change in the colour near her eyes, where the mist gave way to a picture of a jester. The image disappeared as quickly as it had come and La'liet shook his head, giving up on her. _

_The priest had already started his speech but time slowed when he thundered the request to the orb. "Show us! Show us your chosen one!" _

_La'liet instantly felt himself enveloped in warmth, a mind-numbing pleasant warmth but he snapped awake when the heat intensified and pierced his heart, searching it like a persistent surgeon. And suddenly, it was gone, like it had never happened. _

_After that, his world never happened. His dreams disappeared like sound. You hear it only for the moment, but after it leaves, you wonder if you ever heard anything in the first place. _

_He realized he was staring at Myra and she was staring at him. _

_No._

_No. No. She was trying to talk to him. He should listen, they always talked and listened to each other but the words went by without registering. _

_He clenched his claws in frustration but instantly knew that this was bad. He definitely did not need violent actions right now. He was starting to get really agitated. He could feel his blood rising and trickling heatedly out of his clenched claws. He tried to open his mouth but it was glued shut. _

_He wanted to tell her. Myra! Myra! I can't hear you! _

_What was wrong with him! His mouth would not open. His ears could not hear. And his eyes, oh his eyes! Lay staring wide open at his Love; bathed in a pink blessed glow. WHY! The question ripped his mind and senses and after that, everything went red. _

Hitomi blinked, what was that she had just seen.

Was it a vision?

Was it just a dream?

Her lips curled unknowingly into a grimace, such thoughts had not come to her in a long time. She thought she had finally cut her ties with these illusive nightmares that came and went and actually did no help at all.

But instantly, eerily she knew it was something different this time round.

Was it a vision?

Was it just a dream?

_Or a memory?_

_You must let me take over! I must turn into a dragon! You are in danger! You are just a human! He could strike any moment! LOOK AT HIM! _The voice that had suddenly intruded into Hitomi's thoughts was surprisingly irritating. She was looking, she was. She had been for quite sometime. And somehow looking at this fiercesome beast in front of her left her quite calm even though he was four times her size. He didn't look ready to attack. He looked bewildered. Lost. Stranded after the carnage he had just engaged in.

Her eyes softened. She had seen that look before. A long long time ago, when she had first come to Gaea and met a young handsome boy-king.

Suddenly she knew what she must do.

_Lend me your form, _Hitomi called to the presence in her head who seemed to visibly relax at the request. _But, _Hitomi's voice was firm, _I will not lend you my mind. Let me handle this. _

And then, there were two.

Two tall dragons in the room. Celena decided this was a good time perhaps to abandon friendship and find a way to escape. She looked around in bewilderment but her young nephew, Chid put his hand on her shoulder in re-assurance. She jolted, had he grown so much that he could now reach her shoulder so easily? The black dragon suddenly let out a guttural low roar and Celena grabbed Chid's hand for her life's worth.

Actually he was just talking.

"Why? I thought we were dead. Spared of life."

Hitomi looked at him quietly. "Were we really so desperate to die?"

"I was." Red eyes hardened and his hackles rose. "I was desperate to be freed of my memories, those that reminded me of how we once were close and then you betrayed me."

"I am not who you hate." Hitomi stated simply.

"It doesn't matter!" He cried and raised a claw to strike her but she moved swiftly, surprised at her own speed and leaned in close for …

A kiss… (which in the dragon world is a nuzzle in the neck)

"It matters." She whispered. "Much more than you know. For I will not give you the chance to cause Van any more grief. By taking away the one he loves."

And suddenly they were gone, in their place, was the comforting picture of a girl resting her head against a boy's chest, Van caressed Hitomi's sandy hair softly, like running his fingers through the new wheat in the Fanelian fields.

"You do know how I feel about you," he whispered back gently. And she nodded and held onto him tighter in response. When she spoke again, her voice was strained from holding back tears.

"I have always known-Van! I was so scared I would lose you back then."

Something made him bold, something which Allen would pat him on the back and tell their friends of as the moment when Van finally broke out of his shy adolescent puberty self.

He lifted her chin, and made her look at him. "Why were you scared?" He asked softly and before Hitomi could muster up the courage to respond, he had kissed her lightly.

The magical thing about a kiss, was not really the sensation that it brings but what it has come to symbolize through the ages. An honest and bare profession of the love for another. People have forgotten about its true meaning till they unknowingly go after repeated kisses in search for a lost meaning they cannot understand, which is simply: _I chose you._


End file.
